Shield

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A shield is a broad piece of personal armor carried on the arm or in the hand. Throughout human history, it was widely utilized by soldiers to defend against attacks in close combat or to intercept projectiles.

Contents

Description

Historically, the shield was generally intended to act as a defensive complement to a handheld weapon. While it may vary widely in construction, shape, and size, its general profile is the same: a broad, sturdy disc of wood or metal which may provide some cover to its wielder. Unlike other types of armor which are worn, it is carried on the offhand, most often with a band or handle underneath by which it may be held. Designed for close quarters combat, it can be effective at intercepting projectiles, such as arrows, and blocking the blows of swords and other weapons.[1]

Aside from personal protection, large shields could also be used to erect barricades by forming a line with shield-bearers. This tactic was employed by Crusaders during the Third Crusade in an attempt to prevent the escape of enemies or to force them to partake in personal duels against their commanders. Even so, they were not immune to being forcibly broken through, as demonstrated by the AssassinAltaïr Ibn-La'Ahad in 1190 during his duel with the Templar leader Basilisk.[2]

History

A basic yet efficient means of defense, shields have been used throughout much of the history of human warfare. They were standard service in the army of the Roman Republic and widely common among warriors of contemporary societies such as Egypt and Greece. The MedjayBayek who eventually founded the Assassin Brotherhood favored the typical combination of a sword and shield.[1]

Shields gradually faded in prevalence over the course of next two millennia. At the time of the Italian Renaissance, guards did not generally rely on shields[3][4] although they continued to be an invaluable asset of field armies as protection against arrow volleys. Italian metal shields of this era [5]

With the advent of firearms, shields, like swords, began to be phased out entirely in state militaries such that by the 18th century, they were unheard of among European soldiers.[6][7][8][9]

Trivia

A shield from Project Legacy

In Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles, shields are used in two areas by Crusaders as a means to block the exit of the player, thereby forcing a duel with a particular enemy. Once the fight has been won, the player must use the skill Shield Bash to break through the barricade by directly charging through it.

In the crafting system of Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy, one shield is made from four bars of copper, two bars of tin, and one set of pine logs. This suggests that the metal plating of the shields are forged from bronze, yet they appear to be iron. Two shields and one shield in turn are used to train one group of swordsmen and one Roman sentry respectively.